Extract from Die Lorelei, translated from Heinrich Heine by Stevie Smith

[simone-remy.livejournal.com]

This is a request for a full version of this translation please - I only just came across it in Hilary Mantel's talk on 'Royal Bodies' - I can't find the whole thing on line and I am very intrigued. Here's as much as I found;

An antique story comes to me
And fills me with anxiety
I wonder why I fear so much
What surely has no modern touch?

It is of Germany it speaks
One evening time, the mountain peaks
Are in the sun, but the old Rhine
Flows secretly and does not shine

There on a rock majestical
A girl with smile equivocal
Painted young and damned and fair
Sits and combs her yellow hair

With a yellow comb she combs it,
Sings a song and sometimes moans it,
That has a most peculiar turn
It makes the heart and belly burn,

The sailor sailing hearing it
Falls at once into a fit…
 

Comments

[pachamama.livejournal.com]

Sorry I can't help you. All that comes to my mind is the old song we learned in German class
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0_PtHwbCiY

1. Ich weiß nicht, was soll es bedeuten,
Daß ich so traurig bin,
Ein Märchen aus uralten Zeiten,
Das kommt mir nicht aus dem Sinn.
Die Luft ist kühl und es dunkelt,
Und ruhig fließt der Rhein;
Der Gipfel des Berges funkelt,
Im Abendsonnenschein.

2. Die schönste Jungfrau sitzet
Dort oben wunderbar,
Ihr gold'nes Geschmeide blitzet,
Sie kämmt ihr goldenes Haar,
Sie kämmt es mit goldenem Kamme,
Und singt ein Lied dabei;
Das hat eine wundersame,
Gewalt'ge Melodei.

3. Den Schiffer im kleinen Schiffe,
Ergreift es mit wildem Weh;
Er schaut nicht die Felsenriffe,
Er schaut nur hinauf in die Höh'.
Ich glaube, die Wellen verschlingen
Am Ende Schiffer und Kahn,
Und das hat mit ihrem Singen,
Die Lorelei getan.

[simone-remy.livejournal.com]

Thank you for that- my German's pretty non existent I'm afraid - oh but the Richard Tauber is lovely, and reminds me of my Dad so much....

[thelichen.livejournal.com]

here's the rest (I think it's the rest, at least) - from her Collected Poems (http://books.google.com/books?id=kN_7WcjAelYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=stevie+smith+collected+poems&hl=en&sa=X&ei=KwwoUdzlEM-60QHzuoHoCw&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA) on google books. I looked it up after reading "Royal Bodies," too. :)

The sailor sailing, hearing it
Falls at once into a fit,
He does not see the rocky race
His eyes are looking for a face.

The boat strikes hard, as she must do,
And down she goes, and he goes to.
This story brings me so much grief
I know not how to find relief.

Lurks there some meaning underneath?

[simone-remy.livejournal.com]

oh thank you - it's always a great story isn't it - and what a brilliant talk - go Hilary:)